Wine cork having molded anti-taint barrier tip

Abstract

An anti-taint molded barrier tip system has a primary component and a tip component. The primary component is formed of an upper section, a lower section, and an intermediate section. The upper and lower sections are cylindrical. The diameter of the lower section is less than the diameter of the upper section. The intermediate section is formed as a cylindrical notch with a diameter less than the diameter of the lower section. The tip component has an exterior surface and a lower surface and an annular upper surface. The tip component has a recess extending downwardly from the annular upper surface. The recess has an enlarged cylindrical lower region receiving the lower section of the primary component. The recess has a cylindrical upper region receiving the intermediate section of the primary component.

What is claimed as being new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows: 
     
       1. An anti-taint molded barrier tip system ( 10 ) for wine corks adapted to protect wine and prevent wine spoilage due to cork taint, the protecting and the preventing being done in a sanitary, safe, convenient and economical manner, the system comprising, in combination:
 a primary component ( 14 ) formed of an upper section ( 16 ), a lower section ( 18 ), and an intermediate section ( 20 ) between the upper and lower sections; 
 the upper section ( 16 ) being formed in a cylindrical configuration with an upper length and an upper diameter, the upper section having a cylindrical upper surface peripherally and a circular top surface; 
 the lower section ( 18 ) being formed in a cylindrical configuration with a lower length less than the upper length and a lower diameter less than the upper diameter, the lower section having a cylindrical lower surface peripherally and a circular bottom surface; 
 the intermediate section ( 20 ) formed as a notch in a cylindrical configuration with an intermediate length essentially equal to the lower length and an intermediate diameter less than the lower diameter, the intermediate section having a cylindrical intermediate surface peripherally, the upper and lower and intermediate sections being integrally formed of a cork material with a common central axis; 
 a tip component ( 24 ) having a cylindrical exterior face ( 26 ) peripherally and a circular lower face and an annular upper face, the tip component having a recess ( 28 ) extending downwardly from the annular upper face, the recess including an enlarged lower region ( 30 ) in a cylindrical configuration receiving the lower section of the primary component, the recess including an upper region ( 32 ) in a cylindrical configuration receiving the intermediate section of the primary component, the tip component being fabricated of a poly resin material; 
 a conical pinhole ( 36 ) extending upwardly through the circular lower face of the tip component and through the lower section of the primary component into and terminating within the intermediate section of the primary component, the pinhole adapted to constitute a check valve for the flow of air between wine in a bottle receiving the system and atmosphere; and 
 a one way flapper valve ( 40 ) fabricated of an elastomeric material and adapted to overlie the pinhole between the primary component and the tip component, the flapper valve adapted to allow the flow of wine to enter the primary component while at the same time preventing contaminants including “cork taint” from entering the wine.